




































African Journal of Environmental Economics and Management Vol. 1 (1), pp. 013-021, August, 2013. 
Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals 

 

 

Full Length Research Paper 
 

Land use pattern and sustainability of food crop 
production in the fadama of Southern Guinea 

Savanna of Nigeria 
 

A. F. Lawal
1
*, O. A. Omotesho

2
,  and   M. O. Adewumi

2
 

 
1
Department of Agricultural Extension and Management, College of Agriculture, Mokwa Niger State, Nigeria. 

2
 

Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm management, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. 
 

Accepted 2 April, 2013 
 

An assessment of the sustainability of food crop production in the fadamas of Southern Guinea 
Savanna of Niger State, Nigeria was carried out within the framework of small-scale farming households 
utilizing fadama for the cultivation of food crops. The study determined profitability of food crop 
production in the fadama and identified the pattern of land use and management and its effects on 
sustainability of fadama. A two- stage simple random sampling technique was used to obtain 149 food 
crop farming households interviewed for the study. The data were analyzed by using descriptive 
statistics such as frequency distribution, mean, standard deviation, in addition estimates of crop 
diversification index (CDI), nutrient intake index (NII), Ruthberg index, farm budgeting model was made. 
A typical household hectared seventeen persons and planted an average of 3.44 ha scattered in three 
plots. The major enterprises were sole crop rice and maize – based mixtures in about 0.70 and 2.59 ha 
respectively. Estimated mean CDI was 0.651 implying stability of income and sustainability of mixed 
crop enterprises while mean NII was 1.89 showing that combined crops hectareve low tendency to 
deplete soil nutrient. The Ruthberg index value of 0.393 implied that a six years fallow period alone may 
not be adequate to restore natural fertility. The farm budget analysis showed thectaret the sampled 
fadama food crop farming household hectared positive net return for all enterprises. Maize/cowpea 
enterprise hectared the highest gross margin of N25, 663/ ha while leafy vegetables (for example 
spinach) hectared the highest return on investment (2.39). The average return on investment for all the 
farms studied was 1.89. Mixed cropping the dominant cropping system generally adopted by the fadama 
farming households gave higher gross margin per hectare. The study concluded that production of food 
crop in the fadama of the Guinea Savanna of Niger State, Nigeria is sustainable. Mixed cropping, 
consolidation of household resources, increased use of animal traction and organic fertilizer as well as 
integrated pest management is recommended. In order for the foregoing to be effective, they must be 
accompanied by improved extension service delivery, aggressive adult education programme, 
regulated use of agro-chemical, improved access to credit and availability of subsidized inputs. 

 
 

Keywords: Fadama, sustainability, mixed cropping, land use and management 
 
 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
Background to the study 
 
Fadama are seasonally flooded plains along major rivers 
or depressions on adjacent low terraces. They are fertile, 
 
 
 
*Corresponding author. E-mail: funsolawal@yahoo.co.uk 

 
 

 
reduce the risk of crop failure and hectareve potentials 
for longer period of agricultural activities in a year. They 
pre-sent a unique opportunity towards reversing the 
declining per capita food production in Nigeria. However, 
develop-ment intervention, changing land tenureship and 
population pressure have been identified as threats to 
this valuable but delicate land resource The fadama size 
of Nigeria is estimated at about 4.6 million ha. Out of this, 
Niger State hectares an estimated 495,000 ha. This is 
second to Adamawa State with 625,000 ha, the largest in 



Lawal  et al.               013 
 
 

 
the country (Ingawa, 1998). If the potential of the inland 
valleys for intensive crop production could be realized, 
they might serve as a kind of safety valve for relieving 
pressure in other agro ecosystem particularly the humid 
forest and moist savanna (World Bank, 1992). 
 
 
Research problem 
 
The quest for harnessing the benefit of fadama land 
hectares ushered in technological innovations such as 
development of small irrigation pumps, small earthen 
dams and shallow tube wells. These hectares led to 
intensification in the use and management of fadama for 
agricultural activities. By and large, the inland valleys are 
cultivated by small holders whose land utilization and 
management with limited resources are aimed at 
achieving farm level objectives in terms of food security 
and economic viability. Their land use practices have a 
short term planning horizon with little attention to the 
status and management of agricultural land (Krusemen et 
al., 1996; Pannell and Glenn, 2000; Adewumi and 
Omotesho, 2002). Production objectives of short term 
food security and income that guarantees economic pro-
duction by the farmer might be achieved. However, the 
achievement may hectareve come at the expense of 
long-term sustainability of land resources and develop-
ment. Sustainable development is consistent with 
increasing environmental assets or development without 
destroying the future of natural capital stock.  

The most critical issue that this paper addresses is 
whether fadama land utilization is consistent with sustain-
able development in view of some factors threatening 
sustainability around the fadama of Northern Nigeria. 
Kolawole (1991) reported that development intervention, 
changing land tenureship and population pressure were 
among the factors threatening sustainability of fadama in 
Nigeria. Lawal (2001) also reported that the construction 
of hydroelectricity Dams at Jebba and Shiroro hectareve 
hectared adverse effect on socio-economic lives of the 
riparian communities. This hectare led to the loss of crop 
and farm land to flooding as a result of flash-flood 
occasioned by opening of the dams. The potential of 
fadama area will remain elusive until the sustainability of 
this agro-ecosystem can be assessed which is the focus 
of this study. Therefore, some questions become 
fundamental in the assessment of fadama land use; Are 
the farming practices adequate to improve soil fertility, 
nutrient recycling and enhance sustainable production?  
(2) Can the present cropping practices enhance econo-
mic benefits? (3) Is food crop production in the fadama 
sustainable?  

A work that assesses sustainability of food crop 
production in fadama at the small holder farm level is 
relevant in determining the extent to which the low 
external input agriculture (LEIA) farming households in 
the fadama allocate, use and manage this delicate land 

 

  
 
 

 
resource. The work is necessary to provide information to 
policy makers in assessing the economic rationale of 
different land management options in order to maintain 
the bio-physical condition of the land. It is against this 
background that the study on which this paper is based 
was undertaken. 
 
 
Objective of the study 
 
The objective of the study is to determine costs and 
return to food crop production in the fadama, identify the 
patterns of land use and evaluate its effects on the 
sustainability of fadama in food crop production in the 
Southern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria. 
 
 
Economic concept of sustainability 
 
The unpriced outputs of agricultural system both positive 
and negative have become of increased importance as 
compared with conventional marketed outputs. There is 
concern that, while technical changes have brought 
major benefits to consumers in terms of reduced food 
prices, some developments hectareve taken us into 
unsheltered waters.  

Nix (1990) pointed out that the idea of sustainability is 
central to attempts to define farm income. He quoted 
Hicks (1946) who defined income as that which could be 
consumed in a given period leaving the consumer as well 
off at the end of the period as at start. Recent theories of 
economic growth have built upon neoclassical foundation 
(Solow, 1992) and recognize that aggregate capital (K) 

consists of man made capital (Km), natural capital (Kn), 

human capital (Kh) and social capital (Ks), such that; 
 
K = Km + Kn + Kh + Ks (1) 
 
The quantity and quality of this capital determines the 
level of provision of utility for mankind on a year by year 
basis (Pearce, 1999). The notion of sustainability arises 
when it is required that the capacity of K to produce utility 
from one period to the next does not decline. Important 
modifiers to K include technological change, which may 
be regarded as endogenous or exogenous and popu-
lation growth, which may hectareve positive or negative 
impacts on the component of capital (Webster, 1999).  

The distinction between weak sustainability and 
strong sustainability hinges upon whether substitution is 
permitted between the components of K. Weak sustain-
ability implies that substitution may take place in order to 
maintain K. In other words, rates of substitution or 
elasticity’s are assumed to exist. In contrast, strong 
sustainability does not permit substitution between com-
ponents of K and the emphasis is placed on conserving 

Kn (and each of its separate sub-components) at all 
costs. Arguments for such an approach include irreversi- 



014       Afr. J. Environ. Econ. Manage. 
 
 

 
bility of some changes in natural capital for example 
species extinction (Tversky and Kahneman, 1981). It is 
further argued that natural capital is impossible to value 
by whatever means and that no trade-offs could be made 

within Kn or any level of subdivision of Kn. However, 
Vander Hectaremsfort and Latacz-Lohnman (1998) have 
argued for strong sustainability on the basis of the second 
law of thermodynamics (the entropy law), which implies a 
limit to the stock of energy available to mankind for 
transforming low entropy natural capital through 
manufactured capital to high entropy waste products. It is 

argued that that Km and Kn should be complements 
rather than substitutes. 

 
METHODOLOGY 
 
Area of study 
 
The study was carried out in the fadama areas of Niger State, in the 
Southern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria. The fadama along river Niger 
and river Kaduna and other minor rivers and floodable plains in 
Niger State were used for the study. Niger State lies between 
longitude 8°11’ and 11°20’ north of the equator and between 4°30’ 
east of the equator. It covers an estimated land area of 4240 km sq. 
The vegetation of the state is mainly Southern Guinea Savanna. 
The mean annual rainfall ranges between 1110 mm in the north and 
1600 mm in the south. The average annual number of raining days 
ranges between 187 and 220 days. The rain starts in late April and 
ends in October with the peak being in July. The average minimum 
temperature is about 26°C while the average maximum temperature 
is about 36°C. The mean humidity ranges between 60 (January to 
February) and 80% (June to September). The vege-tation supports 
the cultivation of root crops and grains. The predominant crops are; 
rice, sorghum, millet, yam, groundnut and cotton. 
 

 
Method of data collection 
 
Data used for this study were from both primary and secondary 
sources. The relevant primary data were obtained through a farm 
management survey of fadama food crops farming households 
conducted between August 2004 and September 2005. The main 
instrument for data collection was structured interview schedule. 
These were administered on head of fadama food crop farming 
households by trained enumerators under the supervision of the 
researcher. The data covers farming activities for the 2004 cropping 
season. Data collected covers information on fadama food crop 
farming households head characteristics (age, level of education, 
family size etc), land use and management practices, input and 
output data, as well as their prices, crop combination and 
diversification etc. 
 
 
Sampling procedure 
 
The target population for this study is the fadama food crops 
farming households in Niger State, Southern Guinea Savanna, 
Nigeria. A two stage simple random sampling technique was used 
to select sample for the study. The first stage involved the random 
selection of fadama farming villages in the three ADP zones of the 
State. The 1991 fadama village and households listing of Niger 
State Agricultural Development Project (NSADP) served as the 
sampling frame for the selections. About five percent of the total 
fadama farming villages were randomly selected for the study. The 

 
 
 
 
second stage of sampling involved the random selection of fadama 
farming households. About 10% of the fadama farming households 
in each of the selected villages were sampled for the study. The 
villages and households selection was based on the proportion of 
fadama food crop farming households in the NSADP zones and the 
villages respectively. A cross sectional data from 149 fadama food 
crop farming households were collected for study. 

 
Analytical Techniques 
 
Combinations of analytical techniques were employed in this study. 
Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, frequency 
distribution were used to capture the socio economics characte-
ristics and pattern of land use management. In addition to 
descriptive statistics the following indices were calculated to further 
investigate the influence of pattern of land use and management on 
sustainability of fadama land. 

 
Crop diversification index (CDI) 
 
Stability of yield and revenue from crop planted are indicators of 
sustainable farm practice, this was captured with crop 
diversification index. The crop diversification variable was 
measured in this study by the Herfidahl index given as; 
 
 n 2  

 

CDIj     = 
 

(1) 
 

 Pi 
j 

 

i  1  
 

 
Where; CD1j is the crop diversification index for the j

th
 household. 

PiJ = Proportion of total income from each crop in a particular 
enterprise.  

A value approaching 1.0 indicates specialization whereas smaller 
values reflect increasing diversification, stability of income and 
sustainability of land use pattern (Spio, 1996; Udoh, 2000). 

 
Nutrient intake index (NII). 
 
Following Udoh (2000) the NII was estimated to reflect how crop 
diversity pattern can affect nutrient depletion and sustainability of 
farmland. This was measured as a ratio of crop configuration to 
number of crops in combination. Crop configuration was derived by 
assigning different weights to different classes of crop in com-
bination and summing the weighted value for each farm and then 
dividing the value by the number of crops in such combination. The 
assigned weights to the respective classes were based on nutrient 
depletion ability of crops in an environment where nutrient 
augmenting input like fertilizer is inadequate (Fageria and Baligar, 
1993). It is expected that the yield of crops in combination would be 
affected if the combined crops were mostly of the same class of 
crops. For instance, a combination of melon/maize/yam would not 
deplete soil nutrient as the case of cassava/yam/cocoyam mixture. 
Therefore, combining crops that would deplete soil nutrients heavily 
do not show sustainable land use practice. 
 
The Nutrient Intake Index is given as 
 

NIIj   =   ΣWi   i   =  (2 ----, n) 
 

 N 
i =  (2 ----, n) (2)  

   

 
Where; NIIj = Nutrient intake index for j

th
 

households. n = Number of crop in combination  
wi = Particular weight attached to type of class of crop planted 
(legume = 1, vegetable/cereal = 2, Root tuber = 3, stem tuber = 4) 



Lawal  et al.               015 
 
 

 
Nutrient Intake Index is meant to capture the vulnerability of farm 
total output to different crop combination. The index value ranges 
between 1 and 4. The higher the NII the more the likelihood that 
crop combinations can affect nutrient depletion, land degradation 
and sustainability of farmland (Fageria and Baligar, 1993; Ali, 1996; 
Udoh, 2000). 

 
Ruthenberg -value 
 
The Ruthberg -Value shows the land use intensity for an area. It 
shows if the length of fallow may be adequate for soils to restore 
natural fertility. It is given as; 
 
R – value  =  c  
     

 c+f (3) 
 
Where; c = Number of cropping years. This was obtained as the 
average number of years a land was used before fallow. f = Number 
of fallow years. This was obtained as average number of years a 
land was allowed to fallow before further cultivation.  
R – Value = 1 for permanent cultivation. 
 
The further the value is from one the more the likelihood that fallow 
would be adequate to restore natural fertility and improve 
sustainability (Udoh, 2000).  

Degrees of soil erosion, flooding and drainage were also part of 
variables used to measure extent of likely land degradation, the 
level of nutrient depletion and fadama sustainability. 

 
Farm budget model 
 
Olukosi et al. (2006) stated that farm budget is a detailed physical 
and financial plan for operation of a farm for a certain period. Farm 
budget model enables the estimation of the total expenses (costs) 
as well as various receipts (revenue or returns) within a production 
period. Musa et al. (2006) stated that thectaret farm budget model 
gives a measure of profitability. Following Olukosi and Erhectarebor 
(1988), farm budget was estimated on per hectare basis in this 
study and specified as 
 
NFI = GI -  TVC  -  TF (4) 

GM = GI  - VC (5) 
 
Where; NFI= Net farm income, GM= Gross Margin per Hectare. 
 

The fixed inputs used during the survey consist of inputs such as 
baskets, hoes, cutlasses and rain boot. The depreciated values of 
these assets were negligible, therefore GM/ha was used for 
profitability analysis.  

GM/ha was calculated for all the enterprises that the fadama 
farming households were engaged in during the survey period. GM 
allowed for comparison of the profit of the different enterprises 
cropped by the sampled households during the survey.  

Return on a Naira Investment (RNI) which provides a measure of 
economic performance of each enterprise in terms of revenue 
accruing to the households and cost of inputs employed was 
determined as; 
 
Return on a Naira Investment (RNI) = GI 

TVC (6)  
  

 
RNI > 1 for enterprise to be sustainable (Alamu and Coker, 2005). 
Return on a Naira Investment was used to rank the enterprises of 
the sampled fadama food crop farming household. 

 

  
 
 
 
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 
 
This section presents the results of the analysis of data 
collected and discussion on it. 
 

 
SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF FADAMA 
FOOD CROPS FARM HOUSEHOLD HEADS 
 
Table 1 shows the summary of farm inputs and socio-

economics characteristics of fadama food crop farming 

households during the 2004 cropping season. On the 

average the farm size cultivated was 3.44 ha in about 3 

plots. Hired labour was about 32% of total labour used for 

production. One of the probable reasons for hiring little 

labour could be the fact that an average fadama farming 

household head is still young (about 44 years), active and 

married with about 17 family members who provided the 

needed manpower for farm operations. On the average, the 

cost of labour used constitutes about 73.17% of total 

expenditure on farm inputs. This phenomenon clearly 

demonstrates the dominance of labour in food crop 

production in the fadama area. Labour is the most important 

factor of production because farming activities in the area 

are mostly labour intensive.  
Table 2 reveals that an average household head was 

about 44 years, males (97.32) and married (98%) with a 
household size of 17 persons. An appreciable high level 
of literacy was recorded among household heads (54%). 
They are likely to hectare good potentials to acquire and 
interpret messages relating to their farming operation. 
The mean fadama farming experience was about 17.5 
years. About 59.06% of the sampled farming households 
hectared no extensions contact. The mean extension 
contact was 1.5 visits per household per annum. 
 

 
ANALYSIS OF CROPPING PATTERN AND INDEX OF 
DIVERSITY 
 
Land use pattern 
 
The study reveals that the fadama farming household 
adopted different agricultural diversification strategies to 
fully utilize the fadama land and cope with risks and 
uncertainties. The strategies include: (i) An act of 
cultivating flood tolerant crop such as rice and sugarcane 
during the early wet season (ii) Cultivation of drought 
resistant crops: millet, cowpea, sorghum, cassava later in 
the season at the drier part of fadama area. (iii) 
Cultivation of crops with short gestation period: Okra, 
leafy vegetable, late sorghum and cowpea to utilize moist 
land during the early part of dry season. These strategies 
assure adequate utilization of the fadama land, which 
satisfy the food security and income generation 
objectives of the households.  

Tables 3 and 4  reveals that mixed cropping was the 



016       Afr. J. Environ. Econ. Manage. 
 
 

 
Table 1. Summary Statistics of Farm Inputs and Socio-economic Characteristics of Average Fadama Food Crop Farming 
Household. 

 
 Description  Sample mean Standard deviation Minimum value Maximum value 
 Farm size (Hectare) 3.44 2.68 0.10 6.30 
 Number of plots 3.00 9.56 1.00 6.00 
 Family labour (man-days) 118.74 38.99 7.00 220.00 
 Hired labour (man-day) 55.71 11.63 2.00 70.00 
 Family labour (N) 32,524.00 43.68 37.00 290.00 
 Hired labour (N) 15,320.00 37.80 1750.00 55,000.00 
 Total labour  47,845.00 218.54 50.00 17,500.00 
 Pesticide (litres) 1.84 1.57 0.00 7.00 
 Pesticide (N) 2,870.00 53.43 9250.00 72,500.00 
 Capital (N)  2,275.00 9.53 0.00 12,000.00 
 Fertilizer (kg)  78.00 2.76 0.00 8.00 
 Fertilizer (N)  3,978.00 2.76 850.00 9,000.00 
 Other operating cost (N) 6,624.00 204.30 0.00 38,500.00 
 Age(years)  44..50 11.52 21.00 68.00 
 Household size(No of people) 17.00 9.65 1.00 32.00 
 Fadama farming experience(yrs) 17..50 8.65 6.00 45.00 
 Extension contact (No of visits/yrs) 1.50 1.35 0.00 12.00 
 Credit ( N)  3,250.00 192.40 0.00 35,500.00 

 
* Hired labour cost average N275 per man-day during the 
survey. Source: Field Survey, (2004/2005) 

 

 
Table 2. Demographic characteristics of the fadama food crops farming household. 

 
Characteristics  Frequency Percentage 
(i) Gender    

Male  145 97.32 
Female  4 2.68 
Total  149 100.00 

(ii) Age group    
20 - 50 125 83.89 

>51 Total 24 16.11 

(iii) Highest educational level 149 100.00 
No formal education 17 11.41 
Quranic  54 34.89 
Adult  24 16.11 
Primary  43 28.86 
Secondary  9 6.04 
Tertiary  3 2.01 
Total  149 100.00 

(iv) Household size   
1 - 5 15 10.07 

6 - 10 27 18.12 
11 - 15 42 28.18 
16 - 20 51 34.23 
21 - 25 9 6.04 
>  26 5 3.36 



  
 
 
 
Table 2. Contd.     

Total   149 100.00 

Source of seed    
Personal Stock  88 59.06 
Local market   33 22.15 
ADP and other agencies. 28 18.79 
Total   149 100.00 

(vi) Experience in years   
0 - 5 11 7.38 

6 - 10 23 15.44 
11 - 15 51 14.22 
16 - 20 33 22.15 
21 - 25 13 18.13 
26 - 30 9 6.04 
>  31 9 6.04 

Total   149 100.00 

Source of credit    
No credit   99 66.44 
Family and friend  30 20.13 
Money lenders   9 6.05 
Cooperative society 7 4.70 
Community bank  4 2.68 
Total   149 100.00 

ii) No of extension visits.   
 0  88 59.06 

1 - 2 22 14.76 
3 - 5 18 12.08 
6 - 8 16 10.74 

9 - 11 - - 
>  12 5 3.36 

Total   149 100.00 
 
Source:  Field survey, (2004/2005) 

 

 
most common farming system. The sampled households 
cultivated thirteen (13) types of crops as sole enterprises 
and eleven (11) types of mixed crops enterprises during 
the survey. 209. 11 ha (36.70%) and 360.72 ha (63.30%) 
of the cultivated land area during the survey were used 
for sole crop enterprises and mixed crops enterprises 
respectively. Results show that farming households use 
more of their own stock of local varieties, which inherently 
possess low yield potentials as planting material. Rice is 
the dominant and most preferred crop planted as sole 
crop, it was the only crop planted by all the sampled 
households. It was planted in 17.14% (104.3 Ha) of the 
land area utilized for crops production during the survey. 
Maize/cowpea mixture was the most preferred enter-
prises among the mixed crop farms accounting for 
10.36% (63.05 ha) of the total area cultivated by sampled 

 

 
households. The cropping pattern clearly reveals pre-
ference for rice, maize, sorghum, yam and cowpea as the 
most important food crops grown by the households. 
Under crops combination, cowpea is the predominant 
second crop grown in association with cereal crop such 
as maize and sorghum. This result is similar to that of 
Amaza (2000) which reported mixed cropping as the 
dominant cropping system of farmers in Gombe State of 
Nigeria. 
 
 
Index of crop diversification 
 
The pattern of land use as regards stability of yield and 
revenue from crops planted are indicators of sustainable 
farm practice (Webster, 1999). This is measured with the 

Lawal  et al.               017 



018       Afr. J. Environ. Econ. Manage. 
 
 
 
Table 3. Distribution of area cultivated (ha) to sole crop enterprises. 
 
  No of Area cultivated 

% of Area cultivated Mean area Minimum area Maximu 
 

  

Households (Ha) cultivated (Ha) cultivated (Ha) cultivate  

   
 

 Cowpea 8 6.4 1.12 0.80 0.20 3.0 
 

 Groundnut 8 16.00 2.81 2.00 0.50 2.5 
 

 Maize 10 22.30 3.91 2.23 0.80 3.5 
 

 Okra 12 7.20 1.26 0.60 0.20 2.0 
 

 Onion 2 1.50 0.26 0.75 0.50 1.0 
 

 Pepper 6 4.80 0.84 0.80 0.20 3.5 
 

 Rice 149 104.3 18.32 0.70 0.30 4.5 
 

 Sugarcane 7 5.6 0.98 0.80 0.30 3.0 
 

 Sorghum 5 8.25 1.45 1.65 0.60 2.8 
 

 Soybean 3 3.00 0.53 1.00 0.50 1.5 
 

 Tomato 14 11.90 2.09 0.85 0.30 1.7 
 

 Vegetables 14 12.46 2.19 0.89 0.25 1.0 
 

 Yam 6 5.40 0.95 0.90 0.50 1.5 
 

  244 209.11 36. 70 0.86   
  

Source: Field Survey, (2004/2005). 
 

Table 4. Distribution of area cultivated (Ha) to mixed crop enterprises. 
 

 
Enterprise No of households Area of land %of Area of Mean area Minimum area Ma 

 

 
cultivated (ha) land cultivated cropped(Ha) cropped (Ha) cr  

   
 

 Maize/sorghum 29 30.72 5. 39 1.28 0.20  
 

 Mellon/maize/sorghum 28 46.94 8.24 1.68 1.0  
 

 Maize/sorghum/cowpea 36 66.96 11.75 1.86 1.0  
 

 G/nut/sorghum/cowpea 12 16.80 2. 95 1.40 0.5  
 

 Sorghum/cowpea 29 43.84 7. 69 1.56 0.2  
 

 Sorghum/Bambara 1 1.30 0. 23 1.30 1.30  
 

 Maize/cowpea 58 71.34 12. 52 1.23 0.5  
 

 Maize/cassava 10 8.64 1. 52 0.86 0.4  
 

 Maize/yam 32 27.52 4.83 0.86 0.3  
 

 Millet/groundnut 20 28.20 4. 95 1.41 1.0  
 

 Millet/cowpea 13 18.46 3. 24 1.42 0.6  
 

  263 360.72 63.30 1.37   
 

 
Source:  Field Survey, (2004/2005). 



       

Table 5. Herfidahl index of crop diversification       
         

 Description of cropping pattern Mean Herfidahl index SD Minimum value Maximum value CV %   

 Sole 1 1 1 1 100   

 Two-crops combination 0.625 0.189 0.384 0.946 30   

 Three-crops combination 0.462 0.106 0.264 0.753 23   

 Whole farm 0.651 0.302 0.264 1 47   
 
Source: Field survey, (2004/2005). 

 

 
indices of crop diversification. The index used in this 
study is Herfidahl index. This is modeled in terms of 
proportion of net income from the various crops in each 
combination (see equation 1).  

Table 5 shows that the estimated mean diversification 
index was 0.651. This implies increasing diversification 
among majority of fadama food crops farming households 
which could ensure stability of yield, income and sustain-
ability of fadama land. These crop combinations could be 
regarded as environmentally and economically sound 
practice. It is environmentally friendly because when two 
or more crops are planted under low use of land 
augmenting material like fertilizers as observed during the 
survey, the negative effect of such material on the 
environment is reduced. The cultivated crop depended 
mostly on the available soil nutrient for their growth and 
development. Each crop uses the fertility of the soil in its 
own peculiar way especially when the rooting systems of 
the crops differ. Mixed cropping planted this way during 
the survey generally gives more revenue and higher 
gross margin per hectare than mono cropping. This 
finding is similar to the work of Spio (1996); Alamu and 
Coker (2005) who reported thectaret mixed cropping in 
Ghana and Nigeria gave higher yields and revenue per 
hectare respectively. 
 
 
Index of soil nutrient intake 
 
To achieve the maximum advantage of inter cropping or 
mixed cropping, combined crops must be grown in such a 
way that each crop in mixture uses the nutrient of the soil 
in different ways as to eliminate the risk of competition for 
the available soil nutrients. Table 6 shows the distribution 
of the fadama farming households based on how their 
crop diversity pattern can affect nutrient depletion and 
sustainability of farmland. This was calculated using 
equation 2.  

The mean Nutrient intake Index (NII) was 1.89. This 
index measured the intensity of likely nutrient depletion 
by the combined crop. This result implies that the com-
bined crops hectareve very low tendency to deplete soil 
nutrient. These may not be unconnected to the fact that 
eight (8) of the crop combinations hectared a leguminous 
crop in addition to the cereal in the combination. So the 
cropping pattern is such thectaret could not adversely 
affect soil nutrient and crop nutrition. These could trans- 

 

 
Table 6. Distribution of nutrient intake index among sampled 
households. 

 
 Nutrient Intake index Frequency Percentage 
 1 - 1.5 23 15.44 
 1.6 - 2.0 99 66.44 
 2.1 - 2.5 27 18.12 
 Total 149 100 

 
Source:  Field survey, (2004/2005). 

 

 
These could translate to consistently good yield of 
fadama farm land which is an indication of sustainability 
of the cropping pattern of the fadama food crops farming 
households. Udoh (2000) reported NII of 3.25 among 
farmers in eastern Nigeria, most of these farmers planted 
root/tuber crops in combination with other crops. 

 
Ruthberg- value 
 
The Ruthberg-Value shows the land use intensity for the 
sampled households. It was estimated as 0.983 during 
the survey. This implies thectaret cultivation is nearly on 
a continuous basis in the fadama. These may not be 
unconnected with the high value attached to the fertility of 
fadama and probably the difficulty in land clearing. 
Depending on the agronomic practices adopted by the 
households, the land use may be unsustainable. About 
65% of the farms sampled hectared different levels of soil 
erosion symptoms indicating incidence of soil degra-
dation and subsequent nutrient loss. The farmlands were 
not adequately covered with crop canopies. In the long 
run, without adequate remedial and preventive 
measures, soil fertility may be affected which could affect 
the sustainability of fadama land of Niger State in 
Nigerian Southern Guinea Savanna. 
 
 
Cost and returns in food crop production in fadama 
of Southern Guinea Savanna of Niger State, Nigeria. 
 
From the results in Table 7, the production cost and 
revenue per hectare varies across the households and it 
did not necessarily depend on the type of crop planted in 
the enterprises. Gross margin analysis shows thectaret 
maize/cowpea enterprise with N25, 663/ha hectares the  

Lawal  et al.               019 

 



020       Afr. J. Environ. Econ. Manage. 
 
 
 

Table 7. Gross margin per hectare by enterprises for food crops planted by sampled fadama farming Households. 
 

 
Enterprises Mean farm Mean variable Gross margin Ranked based Return on  

 

 

Revenue/ha cost per hectare per hectare on GM//ha naira investment r  

  
 

 Maize/Cowpea 57,500 31,837 25,663 1st 1.81  
 

 Sorghum/Cowpea 40,100. 17,886 22,214 2nd 2.25  
 

 Maize//sorghum/Cowpea 42,700 22,122 20,578 3rd 1.85  
 

 Maize / Yam 56,250 36,684 19,566 4th 1.53  
 

 Sugarcane 41,250 27,550 18,700 5th 1.68  
 

 Sorghum / Bambara 35,600 17,850 17,550 6th 1.89  
 

 Millet /Cowpea 36,400 19,750 16,650 7th 1.84  
 

 Soybean 41,593 24,946 16,627 8th 1.57  
 

 G/Nut / Sorghum Cowpea 39,700 23,283 16,417 9th 1.71  
 

 Okra 28,850 12,502 15,950 10
th
 2..30  

 

 Mellon / Maize /Cowpea 36,585 20,670 15,915 11
th
 1.73  

 

 Maize / Cassava 39,600 23,755 15,845 12
th
 1.68  

 

 Maize / Sorghum 38,631 22,2716 15,684 13
th
 1.61  

 

 Rice 50,600 25,650 14,950 14
th
 1.42  

 

 Yam 34,200 19,461 14,739 15
th
 1.76  

 

 Pepper 32,487 18,195 14,292 16
th
 1.79  

 

 Sorghum 31,767 17,413 14,267 17
th
 1..82  

 

 Tomatoes 28,850 14,650 13,850 18
th
 1..95  

 

 Cowpea 31,500 17,685 13,815 19
th
 1.78  

 

 Millet /G/nut 28,300 14,595 13,705 20
th
 1.94  

 

 Vegetables 23,500 9,850 13,650 21
st
 2.39  

 

 Maize 29,592 16.250 13,342 22
nd

 1.70  
 

 Onion 21,600 14,000 7,660 23
rd

 1.54  
 

 Bambara 14412 8,461 5,951 24
th
 1.70  

 

 Whole farm 33, 623 18, 486 15, 137  1.89  
  

Source: Field survey, (2004/2006). 
 

 
highest GM/ha during the survey. Based on the 
profitability ratio leafy vegetable (spinach), okra 
and sorghum/cowpea ranked first, second and 
third respectively. These enterprises returns 
N2.39k, N2.30k and N2.25k on every N1 invested 
in the enterprises respectively. The average gross 
margin per hectare for a representative farm was  

 

 
 

N  15,137  while  average  net  farm-income  was Conclusion 
N 52, 071. The average return on a Naira invest-  

ment ratio for all farms was 1.89 showing thec- The general co 
taret on financial consideration the farm operation that  production 
of food crop farming households in the Fadama of Niger State, Ni 
Southern Guinea Savanna, Niger State, Nigeria crop enterprises 
was profitable and therefore sustainable. farm income, pr  



Lawal  et al.               021 
 
 

 
investment ratio than is greater than one. The levels of 
diversification of the enterprises do not impact negatively 
on the nutrient intake index (NII) of the crops. The 
Ruthberg index value, erosion and drainage situation 
shows thectaret remedial and preventive measure is 
required to ensure sustainability of fadama land in the 
Southern Guinea Savanna of Niger State, Nigeria. 

 
Recommendations 
 
Government should provide adequate and assessable 
inputs such as work oxen, improve seeds, herbicides and 
fertilizers to fadama food crop farming households. The 
inputs should be provided at subsidized rate to encou-
rage their usage. Vigorous effort should also be made to 
encourage the farm households to employ animal traction 
involving oxen or camel with appropriate implements. The 
use of improved seeds varieties with high yield potentials 
together with packages of required crop husbandry is 
also recommended. Extension workers should be pro-
perly motivated through provision of appropriate vehicle 
for their movement and prompt payment of their salary 
and allowances. The activities of the extension agents 
should also be monitored to ensure that they carried out 
their duty diligently. Mixed cropping is recommended for 
food crop production in the fadama of Southern Guinea 
Savanna Niger State, Nigeria. This would ensure stability 
of output and income. 

 
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